Crystal Heraldic Senshi
by Mystik Surreality
Summary: (Heralds of Valdamar/SM crossover) Rini is the only one of her friends who hasn't been Chosen and she feels very left out as they start their classes... all she wants is her own Companion.
1. Prolouge

Prolouge to 'Crystal Herald-Senshi'  
  
Disclaimer// I do not own Sailor Moon in any way, nor do I own the Heralds of Valdamar series. That honor is that of Mercedes Lackey, though I can only borrow that world for a bit in my writing and dreams.   
  
Author Note// You don't have to of read the Heralds series to get this, I didn't use any of those characters. Just some of the ideas.   
  
When Lady-Queen Serenity chose to create the Crystal World, and her capitol Crystal Tokyo, she used the powers of the Silver Imperium Crystal in excess. No one, not even her mother, had done this and survived. This fact alone impressed a group of friendly spirits.   
  
So it was little more than a week, and Serenity barely recovered, when a fairly large group of beautiful silver/white horses approached her. They spoke to her in her mind and offered her a way to ensure that the Crystal Alliance lived on.   
  
:Though long-lived you are, Serenity-Queen, you will not live forever. Who will ensure that no evil comes from your blood to rule this peaceful alliance? Who will protect and serve you when the senshi powers fade from memory?: The leader of the horses, a vocal mare, spoke. Serenity considered this, and found no real answer.   
  
"I do not know..." she finally spoke.  
  
:Then allow us, the Companions, to aid you. We do not Choose wrongly, and we will Choose those worthy and willing to serve you as your require, Serenity-Queen.:   
  
And so, by Serenity's consent, the Companions went out into the world and Chose those who would serve the kingdom without remorse, with all their being.   
  
Serenity herself was Chosen by that vocal mare, calling herself Eos, and it was very soon decreed that only one Chosen by a Companion could be the ruler of the Crystal Alliance.   
  
One by one, each of the sailor senshi- including King Endymion, first the Inners and then the Outers, were Chosen by Companions of their own.   
  
As Eos suggested, Serenity formed a Collegium in Crystal Tokyo to teach the newly-Chosen. Those trainees, uniformed in pale Grays, would spend five years at the school, then graduating into full Heralds(a title that the King Endymion suggested) and gaining their pure white uniforms.  
  
These Heralds were spread evenly across Earth, and then expanded out to the other planets as they became habitable again. Though there was not an excess of Heralds, the Companions always seemed to Choose just enough of them.   
  
A field near the Collegium was made for those Companions whom had not Chosen yet, whose Chosen were in permanent residence at the Collegium(or were just trainees), or those who had no Chosen for various reasons.   
  
The Companions, for all intents, appeared to be pure white horses. Though they all had the ability of Mindspeech with their Chosen if no others and they were definitely not normal horses. Within a few years, though, they stopped being born from the grove where Serenity had used the crystal to create Crystal Tokyo. These grove-births became rare and only very special people were Chosen by the grove-born. The Companions instead started being born normally, though they did not birth with the ease of normal horses.   
  
As the years passed on, their were changes made in the kingdoms as the new realms adjusted and finally calmed. A succession of marriages and births came through the years, ending with the princess of Saturn's birth.   
  
And so, time passed and peace reigned. 


	2. Chapter One

Crystal Heraldic-Senshi  
  
Chapter One :: A Council and Worries  
  
Author Notes// So, here's where the story actually begins. I'm going to slowly introduce the characters, as to try not to confuse you. X.x Though I might have already done that. I hope you like this so far!   
  
Queen Serenity slipped from the palace with all the stealth of a cow, though she probably felt as if she was like a spy. She was sneaking away from her duties, or more specifically she was running off to spend a few moments with her Companion before someone else decided that just 'had' to talk to the queen.   
  
Walking straight down the path to Companion's Field, she smiled she saw that Eos was waiting for her at the fence. She smirked and slid up to sit on the fence, Eos nuzzling her chest as she stroked her mane absently.   
  
:You're overworked, Chosen.: Eos said with a whinny. Serenity smiled.   
  
"I know I am, but I can't do anything about it. I have the council meetings and the audiences and all that. Not to mention Rini..." she stopped dead and looked into Eos's deep, sapphire blue eyes. "Eos, you're sure she'll be Chosen?" she finally said.   
  
:She's got the heart, loveling, and I feel sure that one of us will Choose her...: Eos trailed, sounding less that sure of those words. Serenity shivered and rested her forehead against Eos's.   
  
"I'm just worried. All of the other Heirs of the planets have been Chosen, save little Kaitori of course... and Rini is of age of the last batch Chosen." she sighed. "I guess I'm just getting ahead of myself. Thirteen is only an average age." she smiled. "After all, I was nearly twenty." she smiled, jesting at Eos who whinnied.   
  
:Do you have time for a short ride?: Eos asked with a sidestep, allowing Serenity to step onto the other side of the fence and stand next to her Companion.   
  
"I really should get back up to the palace... but..." she grinned mischievously. "I guess they can wait a few more minutes to see me." she pulled herself onto Eos's back without bothering with reins or saddle. The Companions didn't need lead, and it was only a leisurely ride down to the river and back... Eos would not let her Chosen fall off.   
  
  
  
Serenity looked around the table with a small sigh. Seated around her were the royalty of all the planets of the Crystal Alliance, formally her sailor senshi, and now that they were queens in their own regards, Heraldic Senshi.   
  
Each of the women wore the uniform of a Herald this day, a pure white tunic cut in various styles and either a loose skirt or trousers and boots. The only thing that was guaranteed was that each would wear a colored sash of their planets royal color around their waist to note that they were in fact a queen, a Herald, and a senshi.   
  
"With the Inner planets Heirs having been newly-Chosen, I think they should all be enrolled unanimously and given their crystals to train with as well. They are the next generation, after all." Herald-Senshi Trista spoke, hands resting on the table gently but firmly as she in turn eyed each of the Inner Queens.   
  
Serenity nodded. "I think it's a good idea..." she trailed. "They'll need to get to know each other better, hopefully become friends..." she glanced up.  
  
"I agree. Karla and her Arcadien are waiting impatiently to start classes at the Collegium. Karla was Chosen two weeks ago." Herald-Senshi Lita said with a smile as she thought fondly of her daughter.   
  
It was quickly agreed that the four newly-Chosen girls would start classes the day after Midsummer Break ended and the council session adjourned.   
  
Rini felt like crying. Her friends, who happened to be the princesses of the Inner Planets, had arrived this day- each with their Companion. They appeared to belong with them, and Rini was jealous... and very depressed. She was their future leader, at least she was the Heir-Presumptive, and she had yet to be Chosen herself. She fought back tears and greeted her friends with a smile.   
  
Rune Venus was the first to dismount her Companion, called Ozelie, but stood next to the tall white mare with a hand touching her neck. Rune looked much like her mother, but her hair was a bit lighter and her eyes were gray/blue. Both influences came from her father, of course, as did the bit of lankiness she enjoyed.   
  
Karla Jupiter quickly joined Rune, standing between her friend and her Companion, Arcadian. Her hair was long and a deep brown, wavy with hints of red in it as well. Her eyes were a deep hunter green, like her mother's.   
  
Sariah Mercury smiled at Rini as she slid from her own Companion, a mare named Kambria. She was on the short side, the only one not a year older than Rini as well. Her eyes were a soft blue and her hair was a paler blue, though long and wavy.   
  
Last to dismount was Thena Mars, riding her Companion Sage. Thena had her mothers long, dark hair, but her father's playful blue eyes. Her temper was legendary, though she was often saw as a troublemaker.   
  
"Oh Rini, it's been ages!" Thena exclaimed, throwing her arms around the pink-haired princess and hugging her close. Rini laughed and hugged her friend back, soon finding that she was the object of a group hug.   
  
As the girls pulled apart, laughing with tears at the edges of their eyes, they began to pour out details they'd missed of each others lives since their last joint visit.   
  
Rini laughed with them, her Companion jealousy pushed to the back of her mind but still very much there. She walked with them to the Collegium, where the four had to check in and be told their room assignments.   
  
The Companions were turned loose in Companion's Field with promises that their Chosen would come to see them later. In the spirit that they were now students, no different than the rest of the Heraldic trainees, they each took up their bags of things and went to find their new rooms. Rini followed, carrying someone's stray bag, and trying not to begrudge them of this joy.   
  
At the front desk one of the teachers, Emera by name, took up the role of guiding the four to their dorms, where they said good bye to Rini and went to get their uniforms and such. Rini was left to wonder back towards the palace.   
  
She sighed, swiping at a single fallen tear and found an outcropping of stone to sit under and cry herself out.   
  
Queen Serenity smiled as her friends said good-bye to their daughters. The Heraldic-Senshi were, after all, queens with duties of state at home to tend to. The girls, all thirteen or better, were showing a token effort of being strong.   
  
"Tell Daddy I love him." Rune sniffled, trying not to cry as she hugged both her mother and Artemis in turn.   
  
Each girl said something similar before the queens and their Companions were gone in flashes of color, back to their homes.   
  
Each girl swiped at their eyes before Serenity and her own daughter approached them. "You've all been Chosen now, and you'll never be alone again. You're Companion will be with you, in mind, heart, and spirit." she spoke. As she spoke the attention was placed on her instead of their sadness, as Serenity insisted. "You will train here as Heralds and you will return to your homes as Heir-in-Right, gaining a seat on the council and the powers of regency should the occasion arise that it be needed." she nodded to each, whom appeared sober now. "I have been given the authority by your queens to present to you the power crystals that will give you the powers of Heraldic-Senshi."   
  
Each girl tensed in surprise as Rini handed her mother a cherry wood box inlaid with silver designs on the lid. Serenity opened the box and flashes of blue, red, orange, and green escaped.   
  
"Princess Rune Venus, Heir-in-Right of Crystal Magellan and the planet Venus, daughter of Queen Mina, Heraldic-Senshi Venus, and King-Herald Malachite- approach." Rini spoke, carefully spouting off each of her friend's titles.   
  
Rune stepped forward and knelt in her trainee gray uniform, eyes cast up towards her queen.   
  
"Do you swear to uphold your duty as a Heraldic-Senshi, protecting queen and planet from danger as the situation may call?" Queen Serenity quoted. Rune spoke her affirmative and the Queen placed on her neck a pendant that held a large orange crystal. As Rune stood, Rini approached and tied a pastel orange sash around her waist. Rune stepped back in line, after a low bow on her part.   
  
"Princess Karla Jupiter, Heir-in-Right of Crystal Io and the planet Jupiter, daughter of Queen Lita, Heraldic-Senshi Jupiter, and King-Herald Nephlite- approach." Rini spoke.   
  
Karla approached and spoke her vows and she was presented a large green crystal pendant and a pale green sash. Karla stepped back.  
  
"Princess Thena Mars, Heir-in-Right of Crystal Phobos Deimos and the planet Mars, daughter of Queen Rei, Heraldic-Senshi Mars, and King-Herald Jedite- approach."   
  
Thena approached and spoke her vows, much as Karla had, and was presented with a large red crystal pendant and a pale red sash. She stepped back.   
  
"Princess Sariah Mercury, Heir-in-Right of Crystal Mariner and the planet Mercury, daughter of Queen Ami, Heraldic-Senshi Mercury, and King-Herald Zoisite- approach."  
  
Sariah approached and spoke her vows, like Karla and Thena before her, presented with a large blue crystal pendant and a pale blue sash. She stepped back.  
  
"Welcome, Heraldic-Senshi trainees. You have five years to learn what you must so that you can defend our alliance. Learn well." Serenity bode in closing. 


End file.
